Movie Review: Surprisingly, It's the Humans Who Shine in Mr. Popper's Penguins

Movie Review: Surprisingly, It's the Humans Who Shine in Mr. Popper's Penguins

Mr. Popper's Penguins

Review in a Hurry: Cross-breeding pet antics from Ace Ventura with an absent-dad storyline from Liar Liar, this Jim Carrey and flippered-friends flick waddles anyhow through ancestors ball territory. Despite amusement that relies too heavily on bird farting and pooping, the sometimes-sweet Penguins doesn't stink.

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The Bigger Picture: Devoted admirers of the 1938 novel, from which Penguins was adapted, will apparently article to all the changes. Written by Richard and Florence Atwater, the archetypal book centers on a poor, alone abode painter and his ancestors who accede 12 penguins from an Antarctic explorer/pen pal.

Well, this actuality a modern-day big-screen makeover, Mr. Popper (Carrey) is now a wealthy, Manhattan-based real-estate developer who's afar and sees his accouchement on alternating weekends. At atomic there are still penguins!

The aboriginal tuxedoed bird, a following allowance from Popper's father, arrives on the doorstep of Popper's chic apartment. Initially, the career-focused guy, gunning to become accomplice at his firm, wants to get rid of the annoying honking creature. But again Popper sees how the penguin ability advice him reconnect with his two kids (Madeline Carroll, Maxwell Perry Cotton) and ex-wife (Carla Gugino).

Five added penguins are beatific anon afterwards and alpha laying eggs. It's 101 Penguins! OK, not quite, admitting the accepted pet hijinks ensue—Popper's active roomies bathe in the toilet, access the fridge, beddy-bye in his bed, agitate a chichi fundraiser, etc.—as Silly Putty-faced Carrey mugs and scrambles afterwards them.

In-between the amusement (and accidental absurd humor), activity acquaint are abstruse and bonds with the birdies and ancestors are made. This ample ball absolutely works best in its gentler moments—notably the affected aperture about Popper's papa, the penguins' adulation of Charlie Chaplin movies and Popper's "dates" with his ex.

Carrey establishes a balmy affinity with Gugino and the adolescent actors. Other acknowledging (human) players additionally accumulate this waterfowl flick afloat: Angela Lansbury as a high-society acreage owner, Clark Gregg as a adulatory administrator and Ophelia Lovibond as Popper's active abettor with a accurate affection for the letter "P." Despite the bath jokes, the bodies shine.

The 180—a Second Opinion: A alternating bit about Popper's pet-hating acquaintance promises battle and comedic complications that never accumulation up, alike as all the penguin debris do.